Land Reform Development in Rwanda

Kagera TAMP Lessons learnt.Workshop - Entebbe, 23 – 30 Nov.2005

Some figures about Rwanda

Area : 26,338 km2

Population:8,128,553 millionPhysical density:321inhab/ km2

Urbanisation rate: 10%Population in agriculture: 90%

Figures (cont…)

Arable land: 52% of total area

15% of poor rural households do not own land

60% of households in Rwanda own less than 1ha of land

Why a land reform?

Land is a most valuable asset but also a very contested one (source of various conflict) Getting land reform right is critical to both poverty reduction and to a peaceful and secure Rwanda.

Land reform is identified as a priority in the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2020 and the PRSP.

To improve the security of tenure by clarifying land rights and by registering land rights

To make sure that all rwandan (both men and women) enjoy the same rights on land To improve the value of the land and promote investmentTo contribute to sustainable land use andmanagement

About Rwanda Land Reform

1. The National Land PolicyRwandan Land Policy was adopted in February 2004 by the Government

2. The Land LawRwandan Land Law was adopted in July,2005

Land Administration development

The National Land Policy put a great importance on appropriate land administration system as a key of land tenure security by providing the possibility of registering and transferring land and also the possibility of investement in land.

Existing situation

At provincial, District and Municipal levelsProvinces and Districts do not have any structure of land administrationWith the decentralisation currently in process, 15 Municipalities have a decentralised land administration limited to land survey, land registration and land taxationThose Municipalities send all land records to the Ministry of Lands where is based the Cheaf Registrar of Title DeedsKigali City is autonomous in term of land administration since 1998.

New and innovative approaches in Land Administration

1. Policy approach

Clear distinction between urban land and rural landClear separation of public land and private land Decentralisation of land administration proceduresProvision of strong institutional arrangementsto coordinate all the systemSystematic land registration both in urban and rural areas

2. Strategic approach

1. Land administration at national level

Establishment of a National Land Centre as the engine of land administration and land use management

2. Land Administration at local levelIn Urban areaTo conduct formal land registration through the establishment of a modern cadastre and registry for land and revenue management by following the model of Kigali City Council which is conducting an automated land administration system a swedish software:’Arc cadastre’

In rural areaA dual system of land registration is proposed :

a. Formal land registration for land owners who have 5 ha or more for commercial purposes (industrial or agricultural activities)

b. Participatory land planning, community mapping and local land rights registration. Land records and photomaps will be held at Cells, Sector and District levelLand office to be established in each District with responsibility of land use planning, land surveying, land registration and land titles delivery. It also has the role of disseminating data.

The way forwardsDeveloping Bylaws, sensitisation of the populationEstablishment of land offices in district, training staffDeveloping a National Land Use MasterplanPiloting zone for implementation (Involvement of all stakeholders/Donors in the process)Developing conflicts resolution mechanismsEnchancing political will at all levels of administration and increase capacity to implement land reform.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION